Computer applications often use object-oriented programming techniques. Data structures, hereinafter “objects”, have data and functions, also referred to as properties and methods. To retrieve data from an object or to execute its method, the object has to be identified. This is especially important during run-time. Object-hierarchies are convenient. To work with an object, it must be located in the hierarchy. However, when two different run-time environments communicate, both environments need to go through the hierarchy. Communication middleware is known in the art, for example, under the terms COM, DCOM, and CORBA.
For example, a first run-time environment (provider) needs to communicate at multiple hierarchy levels with a second run-time environment (consumer) until the second environment operates with the identified object. Going through multiple hierarchy levels by both environments technically causes network load and delays. Also, objects in both hierarchies often operate under different technical conditions. For example, the provider uses a first object model and defines the object “identification” by a string with a predetermined number of characters; the consumer however uses a second object model and defines the corresponding object by an integer. The difference in the object models are often caused by the use of different programming languages in both environments.
There is an ongoing need to provide improved identification means so that some or all of the above disadvantages are mitigated.